Bottle-stoppering machine.



W. S. DORMAN.

BOTTLE STOPPERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION IILED MAR. 9, 1907. RENEWED DBO. 11, 1907.

904,763. Patented Nov. 24, 1908 13 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. S. DORMAN.

BOTTLE STOPPERING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAILB, 1907. RENEWED DBO. 11, 1907.

' 904,763. Patented Nov. 24. 1908.

13 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Elnueufoz ethane W. S. DORMAN.

BOTTLE STOPPERING MACHINE. I APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9, 1907. RENEWED DEC. 11, 1907.

904,763. Patented Nov. 24. 1908.

13 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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BOTTLE STOPPERING- MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9, 1907. RENEWED DBO. 11, 1907.

Patented Nov. 24. 1908.

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Q/vihwoua W. S. DORMAN.

BOTTLE STOPPBRING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 9, 1907. RENEWED D29. 11, 1907.

904,7 63. Patented Nov. 24. 1908,

13 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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W. S. DORMAN.

BOTTLE STOPPERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAILO, 1907. RENEWED DBO. 11, 1907.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908 2 13 SHEETSSHBET 6.

atto'amu W. s. DORMAN. BOTTLE STOPPERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION TILED MAR.9, 1907. RENEWED DB5]. 11, 1907.

Patented Nov. 24. 1908.

' 13 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

dvweuroz Witnesses WWI-W W. S. DORMAN.

BOTTLE STOPPERIN G MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.9, 1907. RENEWED D30. 11, 1907.

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BOTTLE STOPPERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9, 1907. RENEWED DEG. 11,1907.

Patented Nov. 24. 1908.

13 SHEETSSHEET 9.

Finueuioz Witnesses rrM.

W. S. DORMAN.

BOTTLE STOPPERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. a, 1907. RENEWED DBO. 11, 1907.

904,763. Patented Nov. 24. 1908.

13 SHEETS$HEET 10.

Snuentoz Wmmm $3; W 4 A W-. S. DORMAN.

BOTTLE STOPPERING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR.9, 1907. RENEWED D30. 11, 1907.

" 904,763. Patented Nov. 24. 1908.

a 3x avwenfo'n Witnesses a fill/L I V W. S. DORMAN.

BOTTLE STOPPERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.9, 1907. RENEWED DEC. 11, 1907.

904,763. Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

13 SHEETSSHEET 12.

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W. s. DORMAN BOTTLE STOPPERIN G MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.9, 1907. RENEWED DEP- 11, 1907.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

13 SHEETS-SHEET 13.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM SAMUEL DORMAN,

OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SPRING SEAL COMPANY, OF AUGUSTA, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

BOTTLE-STOPPERING MACHINE.

Application filed. March 9, 1907,

New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Stoppering- I do hereby declare the f ol-- Machines; and lowing to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improve-' ments in bottle stopper-ing or sealing machines; and the objects and nature of my invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art in the light of the following description of the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings of what I now consider the preferred forms from among other constructions within the spirit and scope of my invention.

The invention consists in certain novel features in conslruction, in combinations and in arrangements of parts as more fully and particularly set forth and explained hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings :-Figure 1, is a perspective view of the machine. Figs. 2 and 3, are side elevations, taken from opposite sides. Fig. 4, is a. central vertical section. Fig. 5, is a front elevation. Fig. 6, is a top plan, a portion of the stopper supplying and selecting cylinder being broken away to show certain parts below the same. Fig. 7, is a detail perspective view of the bottle operated stop motion or controlling gate for the stop ers, and also showing the yielding stop mouth centering sleeves or stopper guides, dotted lines indicating a row of stoppers held back by said gate and one stopper which has been allowed to pass the gate.

Fig. 8, is a top plan view, portions being re and broken moved, shown in cross section, away, showing the rotary stopper feed disk and the stopper stop motion, and the rotary head or disk carrying the bottle mouth centering and stopper guiding or delivering sleeves or rings. Fig. 9, is a detail perspective of the driving mechanism for imparting the step by step motion to the bottle carrying devices and parts rotating therewith, parts being broken away. Fig. 10, is a sectional plan of the ratchet mechanism of Fig. 9. Fig. 11, is a vertical sectional-view taken in Specification of Letters Patent. Serial No. 361,610. Renewed December 11, 1907. Serial No. 406,049.

or the bottle.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

the plane of the line 1111, Fig. 6. Fig. 12, is a detail sectional elevation showing the reciprocatin head and its plungers in side elevation an in normal elevated position, portions of adjacent parts being shown in vertical section- Fig. 13, is a detail vertical section showingthe means for lifting each bottle just before it arrives at the sealing or stopper applying point or station. Fig. 14, is a detail perspective showing the main drive shaft, the rotary stopper feeding disk, the reciprocating stopper applying head, and the actuating connections for said parts. Fig. 15, is a detail vertical section, on an exaggerated scale, through the rotary disk or head carrying the 'bottle mouth centering and stopper guides, showing two adjacent guides and the mouth portions of bottles fitting the same, one guide being at the stopper receiving point and the other guide at the bottle sealing point, the plunger for forcing the stoppers'into the guides being shown, and also the heads or plungers for forcing the stoppers into and compressing the same in the bottle mouths, said section being taken in the plane 15-15, Fig. 8, looking in direction of arrow. Fig. 16, ,is a longitudinal section throu h the stopper feeding and selecting cylin er or box, some parts being broken away. Fig. 17, is a cross section through the rotary cylinder or box. of Fig. 16, arrows indicating the direction of movement of the cylinder and the stoppers lifted by the magnets, a stopper being shown in the passage way from the cylinder and resting on the tilting gate or floor. Fig. 18, is a de tail perspective view showing some of the stri ing fingers for directing the properly positioned stoppers into the passage way arranged longitudinally within the rotating cylinder, 2. portion of the cylinder and passage-way being shown by dotted lines, the tiltin floor or gate and its controlling devices eing shown by full lines.

In the particular example illustrated, a step by step or intermittingly rotated bottle feed table or carrier is arranged in an opening in a non-rotary work platform- The open bottles are placed by hand or otherwise on the bottle holders of the feed table, which. table successively carries the bottles to the sealing point or position and remainsat. rest while each bottle is being sealed and which successively discharges the sealed bot ltles onto said,work.platform. This. feed.

table carries a series of equally spaced vertically movable bottle holders or supports, one for each bottle, and these holders normally rest on the table in lowered position but, as each bottle approaches the sealing position, the holder thereof engages a yieldingly-held cam which elevates the holder and its bottle thereby pressing the bottle mouth into or against the lower end of a yieldingly held bottle mouth socket or centering device and stopper guide into which a stopper has been delivered and through which the stopper compressingand seating plunger projects to force the stopper into and compress the same in the bottle mouth. The stoppering plunger is then withdrawn, and the table moves a step to withdraw the sealed bottle and permit its holder to drop, with the bottle, to normal position.

The bottle mouth and stopper guides are arranged above and spaced to correspond with the bottle holders and are carried by a rotary head or disk moving in unison with the bottle feeding table.

The sealing head carrying the stopper applying plunger is timed to operate in proper sequence with the bottle feed table and the stopper supplying devices, and said head i also operates a plunger for forcing a stopper into each stopper-and-bottle-mouth guide as it arrives at the stopper receiving position, the parts being usually arranged to force a stopper into each guide just before said guide is moved to the sealing position, and about when the yieldingly upheld cam starts the bottle holder on its upward course to press its mouth into said holder receiving the stopper.

A horizontally disposed stopper feed or guideway leads to the stopper receiving position for the stopper guides and has a vertical opening adapted to register with each stopper guide as it passes beneath said opening, and the said stopper delivering plunger, at each stop of the bottle, passes down through said vertical opening and into the stopper guide registerin therewith, to force a stopper into said gui e. v The stoppers in said feed or guideway rest on the top surface of a constantly and rapidly rotating horizontal disk and are thereby constantly pressed forward in said guide-way toward said vertical discharge opening thereof, and means are provided to normally hold back the stoppers from said vertical opening, said means being controlled by the passage of bottles, whereby no stop er will be permitted to enter said opening or discharge into a sto per guide unless a bottle is arranged un er the guide to receive the stopper from the guide. If a bottle is arranged beneath said guide, the bottle as it moves toward the stopper receiving position will operate said means to permit one stopper to pass forward into said vertical opening. The, stoppers coarse might be placed by hand, proper side up, on the top face of said rapidly rotating feed disk, and centrifugal action would throw the stoppers toward the circumference of the disk and cause the stoppers to properly enter 7 and crowd forward in a row in the guide or feed way. I prefer, however, to employ a stopper selecting or positioning device into which a mass or quantity of the stoppers can be thrown promiscuously and which will feed the stoppers properly positioned, onto said feed disk for carrying forward to'the I stopper guides.

In the drawings, 1, is a suitably constructedbase, in which the horizontal main or drive shaft 2, is arranged. This shaft can be driven by any suitable means, al-

though I usually provide any suitable clutch mechanism, controlled by any desirable means, such as hand lever 3, for throwing the main shaft 2, into and out of gear with its driving gear.

45-115 a hollow vertical post or column rigid with and rising from the base and carrying the means supporting the bottle holder-elevating cam, and the means carrying and reciprocating the sealing head. The sealing head is fixed to the upper end of a slide rod 5, working in and projecting above the post 4, and at its lower end pivotally joined to the upper end of a link or pitman 6, from eccentric 7 on the drive shaft 2, and by which the sealing head is reciprocated. The eccentric and operative connections therefrom to the sealing head are arranged to impart a sealing stroke, that is one complete reciprocation, to the sealing head on each complete revolution of the main shaft 2.

8, is a hollow rigid vertical column or post fixed to and rising from the front end of the base, and spaced the proper distance from the post 4.

9, is a stationary horizontal plate or platform fixed on the upper end of stationary column 8; and 10, is a vertical ring or annular wall fixed to the edge of plate 9, and rising vertically therefrom.

A rotary sleeve 11, is arranged on the column 8, with running fit, preferably extending from a step bearing at the lower end of the column to the fixed plate or head 9, on the upper end of the column. on the upper end of this rotary sleeve, is keyed or otherwise fixed, the horizontal disk or circular head 12, which carr es the series of bottle mouth and stopper guides or throats 13. This disk 12, is of greater diameter than the fixed plate 9, and the top of the disk is concentrically recessed to receive said fixed plate. Outwardly beyhnd said fixed plate, the rotary disk is formed with the annular series of uniformly spaced vertical openin s 1 1, each opening extending completely through the disk between the periphery and recessed portion thereof. Each opening, if

desired, can be countersunk at its upper end, to receive the annular exterior top supporting flange of its vertically movable throat or guide 13, so that the top edges of the guides will usually be about flush with the top face of the carrying disk. Each opening 14, receives a guide 13, which fits loosely therein and extends therethrough, and is in the form of a sleeve or socket having the upper end of its bore slightly beveled or flared outwardly, while the lower edge of the sleeve is recessed or beveled at 15, to receive the top edge of the bottle mouth and thereby center and hold the upper end of the bottle. Each throat or guide 13, is held by gravity to its seat in the disk, the guides being supported by their top flanges, and hence the guides are free to move ver tic-ally to accommodate bottles varying in length.

The movable bottle carrying or feed table 16, is centeied on the sleeve 11, and is carried by and arranged at the upper end of a vertically adjustable sleeve 17, rotating with and surrounding the sleeve 11. The sleeves 11 and 17, are constantly held to rotate together by key 18, fitting an elongated key seat in the sleeve 17, to permit vertical adjustment of said sleeve on sleeve 11.

The sleeve 17, and the bottle feed table carried thereby, are held in the desired vertical adjustment by the nut 19, on which the lower end of sleeve 17, rests. This nut meshes with the exteriorly and longitudinally threaded lower portion 20, of the sleeve 11. The nut 19, can be-provided with an exterior handle or wheel, whereby the nut can be conveniently turned to raise or lower the bottle feed table to the desireo distance from the stopper-guide-carrying disk 12, to receive bottles of different heights.

The non-rotating work platform 21, in the specificexample illustrated, is formed with an opening receiving and in which the bottle-feed table 16, rotates, and said plat form can also be formed with an opening 22, through which the sealing head post 4, extends loosely to permit vertical adjustment of said platform.

The top face of the work platform is preferably approximately flush with the top face of the bottle-feed-table rotating therein so that the open bottlescan be easily pushed from the platform onto the table and from the table onto the platform. It is hence desirable that the platform be adjustable vertieally "with said table in order to maintain their desirable relative positions. I can hence support the platform by the converging depending braces or supports 23, secured to the under side of the platform and at their lower ends secured to a non-rotary collar 24, loosely embracing the sleeve 17, and resting on an annular shoulder thereof or on the upper end of the nut. The sleeve 17, rotates in said collar and the platform will be held against rotation, for instance by the post 4, while the platform will move vertically with the bottle-feed table as the nut 19, is adjusted.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the bottle-feed table and the stopperguide-head rotate in unison and that the table is vertically adjustable relative to the said head. Various means can be employed to rotate or impart the step by step movement to said table and head.

Bottle feed drive.-At present, I prefer to employ approximately the bottle feed drive shown more particularly in Figs. 9 and 10. In the specific example illustrated, the lower end of sleeve 11, is formed by or consists of a collar 25, fixed to the sleeve proper, and exteriorly formed with an annular series of equally spaced beveled ratchet notches 26. The ratchet notches are successively engaged by a spring held pivoted dog or pawl 27, having a laterally shouldered free end to enter each notch and rotate the sleeve when the dog is moved in one direction and to slip loosely along the notches when the dog is moved in the opposite direction. This dog is, at its outer end,'pivoted by vertical bolt or pin 28, toa horizontal slide 29, which is formed with a longitudinal slot 30, in which bolt 28, can be adjusted when necessary to adjust the position'of the dog with respect to the ratchet teeth or notches. The slide is arranged beside the toothed collar 25, and the dog extends horizontally a d laterally therefrom and its free end is yieldingly held to the collar by spring 31. The slide is held to reciprocate in a horizontal slideway formed on a bracket 32, fixed to and projeeting laterally from the base 1. The slide is moved on its feeding or sleeve driving stroke by a circular cam 33, fixed on the constantly rotating main shaft and having the continuous side cam face or edge, to which one end ofthe dog-carrying slide is constantly held by the spring 34., secured to the slide and supporting bracket. If so desired, the cam contacting end of the slide can be formed by an anti-frictionroll 35, traveling on the working edge or face of the cam. The throw of the slide as controlled. by the cam is suiticient to move the sleeve a distance equal to the space between two ratchet notches. The cam is formed to cause one complete reciprocation, that is one feeding stroke of the slide and dog. for every complete revolution of the main shaft.

The number of ratchet notches or teeth 26, is equal to the number of steps or intermittent movements necessary to a complete rotation of the bottle-feed-table and hence the number of ratchet notches is the same as the number of bottle holders carried by said table. The cam 33, and the sealing head actuating eccentric are so arranged that each time the table stops a bottle, or at least a bote holder, will be presented at the sealing position, and the sealing head will per' The bottle feed table is provided with an angages or stops.

nular series of equally spaced bottle holders or supports, and each holder is arranged. directly below and alined with a stopper guide or throat 13, of the head 12, which rotates in unison with said table, so that a guide 13, is provided above each bottle holder.

Various constructions of bottle holders can be employed, although, at present, I prefer approximately the form shown in the drawings, wherein each holder is shown consisting of a-metal cup or disk 36, having a flat cushioning material floor or seat 37 and a central or concentric depending guide leg or stud 38. The top surface of the holder is preferably fiat so that the bottles can be readily placed on the cushioning floor, and so that the bottles can readily slide from said holders onto the table, when the holders are in their normal lowered positions.

Thetable 16, is formed with depressed seats or sockets 39, to receive the holders and in which they are free to reciprocate vertically, and an open neck 40, depends from the center of each socket to receive the shank or leg 38, of the holder with a sliding fit. The shank 38 depends a distance below said neck and its lower end can be beveled off on one side if so desired. Also, if desired, a screw and slot can be provided (see Fig. 13) to prevent turning or axial movement of each holder in its socket and yet so as not to interfere with the free vertical movement thereof.

The holders normally rest by gravity on the bottoms of the sockets, with their top faces approximately fiush with the top face of the table, and the top face of the table outside of the holders is preferably flush with the top face of the work platform.

Opposite or inwardly of the bottle holders, 1 usually arrange suitable bottle guides, In the present instance, each such stop consists of a base 41, resting on and adjustably bolted to the top face of the table, between a holder and the center of the table, and at its outer end having a vertical portion provided with a pair of outwardly projecting horizontal diverging rigid plates or jaws forming the ii-shaped stop 42, arranged a distance above and projecting over the bottle holder, to properly hold or center the bottle on the holder againstinward and lateral movement. As indicated by Figs. 1 and 6, the open bottles can be placed on the front portion of the work plat form, and placed one at a time on the bottle holders as theyreachthe front of the platform, each bottle being placed in a V-shaped,

- vide a curved guide 43,.arranged above the platform and table and supported by brackets 44, secured to the work platform, as illustrated, for instance in Figs. 1 and 6. This side guide 4C3, preferably terminates just in advance (in the direction of movement of the table) of the sealing position.

The bottle feed table is so positioned with respect to the stopper guide carrying head 12, as to leave ample room between the table and head, to permit placing of the bottles on the holders, 2'. e. the normal distance between the guides of said headand the bottle holders of said table is greater than the height of the longest bottle of the series being handled.

It is necessary that each bottle, when at the sealing position, be tightly clamped or gripped between its holder and its stopper guide. To accomplish this result, I arrange a yieldingly upheld bottle-lifting cam 45, below the bottle sealing position and adapted to successively engage the downwardly projecting shanks 38, of the bottle holders and thereby elevate said holders and the bottles carried thereby into tight gripping engagement with the stopper guides. This cam is provided with an inclined upper face to engage the beveled lower ends of the bottle holder shanks and force the same upwardly as they ride forwardly on the cam,

At the highest or elevated portion of its top face, the cam is usually formed horizontal or fiat (see dotted lines Fig. 1) directly beneath the bottle sealing position, that is directly below the sealing plunger, on which the bottle holder shanks rest during the sealing operation. From its said highest portion the cam extendsrearwardly (in the direction of movement of the bottle feed table) and inclines downwardly a distance equal to or slightly in excess of the distance between two bottle holders. In other words, the working face of the cam is long enough to simultaneously act on two bottle holders, the holder of the bottle at or approaching the bottle sealing position, and the next, holder to the rear and carrying the bottle at or approaching position where a stopper is deposited in the stopper guide of such second bottle,

whereby said second bottle has been lifted almost to its guide before the table stops topermit delivery of a stopper into said guide, and sealing of the. preceding bottle then located at the sealing position.

The complete elevation of each bottle at the sealing position is effected by the cam, as the table completes each stroke or step so that when the table comes to rest the bottle will be elevated in forcible engagement with its stopper guide for the purpose of properly centering the bottle mouth in the guide to insure proper transfer of the stopper from the guide into the bottle mouth.

At the sealing position, it is desirable to yieldingly hold or press the stopper guide down on the bottle mouth, and hence permit upward yielding of the stopper guide to receive bottles of different lengths, and to hold theguides down when the sealing plunger withdraws therefrom. As a convenient means for yieldingly resisting upward movement of each stopper guide when located at and when closely approaching the sealing position, I can provide a horizontal presser plate 46, arranged closely over the top surface of the stopper guide carrying head. This plate is so arranged that as each guide approaches the sealing position it will pass under the plate which yieldingly resists upward movement of the guide. The plate is formed with an opening 47, under the sealing plunger, and this opening registers with the upper end of the bore of the stopper guide at the sealing position so that the sealing plunger can pass down through said opening and the guide. The top edge of the guide however engages the pressure plate around opening 47 to hold the guide to the bottle mouth, et not with sufiicient pressure to break bott es for which the machine is adjusted. This plate projects outwardly beyond the guide carrying head and is carried by a stationary bracket 48, secured to and projecting laterally from the upper end of sealing head post 4. The plate is held against horizontal movement and permitted to move vertically only by a pair of vertical rods 49, secured to the outer end of the plate and depending loosely through and adapted to slide vertically in parallel holes in the bracket 48. The plate is yieldingly held down to its normal position on the top face of the head 12, by an expansive coil spring 50. on one of the rods 49, and compressed between the under face of bracket 48, and a collar on the lower end of said rod.

The lifting cam is arranged just below the bo tle feed table and between the post 4, and the table carrving sleeve, and is carried and yieldingly upheld by any suitable spring mechanism. For instance, I show the cam suit bly secured on the upper end of a depend ng vertical rod 51, passing through and slidable in a vertical guide 52, formed on the front portion of sleeve 53, on the. post 4 but held against turning or axial movement. stiff expansive coiled spring 54, is arranged on the rod or stem 51, and is compressed be tween an end wall of the guide and an annular shoulder on the stem to yieldingly hold the cam at its limit of upward movement. The tension of the spring 54, can be varied by the nut on the lower end of the rod 51.

The cam adjusting sleeve 53, is supported and vertically adjusted by the nut 56, meshing with the longitudinally exteriorly threaded portion 57, of the post 4, as fully shown by Fig. 13 of the drawings. This nut 56, can be provided with an exterior handle or wheel 58 for convenient rotation thereof for the purpose of raising or lowering the normal position of the cam 45. Ordinarily the cam is arran ed a certain distance below the bottle feed tile, and hence when the vertical position of said table is varied, the cam is also adjusted to maintain its normal position with respect to the bottle holder shanks. Said cam can also be adjusted independently of the adjustment of the table to elevate the bottles the desired distance to bring about the desired contact between the bottle mouths and stopper guides.

The spring 54, yieldingly upholds each bottle during the sealing operation and resists the downward pressure of the sealing plunger on the bottle, and is designed to give or yield sufficiently under excessive pressure to avoid bottle breakage. It will be observed that while the bottle is in the sealing position it is held by two opposing springs, to wit ;spring 50, pressing down pressure plate 46, and spring 54, holding up the bottle lifting cam.

Each step or movement of the bottle feed table presents a bottle, or at least a bottle holder, at the sealing position, and suitable mechanism is provided to lock the table and the stopper-guide-head 12, against movement, until the sealing head has performed its sealing and return strokes. As a means which can be employed for this purpose, I form the periphery of the head 12, with an annular series of equally spaced vertical locking grooves or notches 59, each arranged opposite a stopper guide, and adapted to receive a vertical reclprocating locking rib or flange 60, arranged longitudinally on the front face of the vertical guide block 61, depending from and fixed to the reciprocating sealing head.

The locking flange 60, is the stopper guide head12, when the sealing head is in its normal elevated position, but when said head and the bottle feed table complete a step or movement, the sealing head descends and the flange 60, enters the locking notch 59 and thus locks the bottle feeding parts until the bottle sealing and redisengaged from turn strokes of the sealing head are completed. The bottle feed table and stopper guide head then start on another movement or step to pass the sealed bottle forwardly from the sealing position, whereupon the shank of the holder carrying said bottle passes from contact with the lifting cam 45, permitting the holder and its sealed bottle to drop to normal position. 1

Various means can be employed to automatically remove the sealed bottles from the bottle feed table. As a convenient means which can be employed for this purpose, I show a curved vertically disposed guide plate 62, secured by brackets 63, to the work platform and'having its free end 64, extended inwardly above the bottle feed table and curved rearwardly to form a wiper or switch arranged in the path of the advancing sealed bottles to deflect each bottle outwardly from its holder and the table and onto the work platform. The wiper 64, is usually arranged to engage the bottle sides below the V-stops 42, and deflect each bottle from its holder and stop, and the row of bottles thus formed on the work platform is moved forward by the pressure of each bottle before it leaves the table and while being propelled by its V-guide or stop 42.

The stopper feed.Various means can be provided for supplying stoppers successively to the stopper guides or throats as they stop at the stopper receiving position. I preferably arrange the mechanism so that each stopper guide, provided a bottle is below the same, should receive a properly positioned stopper at the last halt or stop made by the guide before it reaches the sealing position, although I do not wish to strictly so limit my invention.

Certain devices embodied'in the machine disclosed, are particularly adapted to handle and manipulate the seal or stopper disclosed in my pending U. S. Patent application S. No. 343,065, filed Nov. 12, 1906, and wherein the sealing medium disk 65, is secured in and depends from a sheet metal cap 66, provided on its top with an expansible spring retainer 67 at one end connected to the cap and at its opposite and free end having an inwardly extending finger pull piece 68, normally resting on. and about radially of the cap top. The retainer can be formed at its. lower edge with an inturned flange resting on the cap top and at its upper edge with an out turned locking flan e. This seal is particularly adapted to sea a bottle having an internal annular groove in the wall of its mouth and forming the annular sealing seat 69, and the upper annular looking shoulder 70. However, I do not wish to limit my present invention to employment with such specific form of stopper or seal nor to such specific form of bottle.

It is obvious that a stopper must be placed in each guide or throat with the cork or other sealing disk face down, and if so desired, a stop er might be so inserted by hand in each gui e before it reaches the sealing position. The spring retainers of each stopper normally overhang the cap and cork, and the internal diameter of each stopper guide or throat is usually such that the said retainers of the stoppers will press a ainst or have a. certain degree of frictiona contact with the inner surfaces of the guide. bores, to prevent the stoppers dropping therethrough. It is desirable, that each stopper be properly and horizontally positioned in its guide before the sealing plungers act thereon, and preferably that the stoppers be forced to the lower ends of the guides resting or almost resting on the bot-' tle mouths, when each bottle is presented at the sealing position. I provide means for thus preliminarily positioning the stoppers in the guides, whether the stoppers be in serted in the guides by hand, or whether they be presented thereto by mechanical feeding devices. As an example of means for thus positioning the stoppers, I show a vertically reciprocating and yieldingly held I stopper. positioning head or plunger 71, consisting of a horizontal disk formed to engage the upper end .of each stopper and force the same, in proper horizontal position, down through the guide about to the lower end thereof, but referably not completely through the guide. This head 71, is of less diameter than the bore of the guide, and usually is of a diameter to extend down within the retainer of the stopper and engage the bottom horizontal flange thereof. The head 71, is carried by a vertical upwardly extending stem 72, carried by and passing loosely through the arms 73, rigid with and projecting laterally from the seal ing head. The stem is held down to its normal position, with respect to the sealing head, by coiled expansive spring 74, arranged on the stem between the two arms and compressed between the upper arm and a stop on the stem. The head 71, can hence properly position the stoppers under a yielding pressure, and in the event of disarrangement of parts, the head 71, can yield or remain at rest without jamming or breaking of parts, while the sealing head performs and completes its sealing stroke. I preferably. so arrange the arms 73, through which the head 71 is carried by the sealin head, that the said stopper positioning head is arranged in the vertical line or axis of and normally above the guide located one step ormovement from the sealing position. In 12 other words, the said head is arranged to posltion a stopper in. the guide halted at the stopper receiving position, or each. guide when located at its last stop or halt before it reaches the sealing position. The stopper sealing plunger has passed, and properly positions the stopper therein, and then starts on its upward or return stroke with the seal- 'ing head but usually before the sealing plunger starts on its upward movement because of the springs holding down the sealing plunger as hereinafter set forth, as seen for instance by reference to Fig. 15. Fig. l, for instance, shows the position of the parts after the sealing head has started on its downward sealing stroke and the sealing plunger has entered the stopper guide but not reached actual sealing position; the stopper positioning head having started on its operating stroke but not reached the stopper guide in which it is to operate.

I prefer to employ means whereby the stopper positioning head is utilized to force stoppers intothe guides, stoppers being successively presented to said head right side up, by suitable feeding means. For the purpose of thus feeding the stoppers into position to be engaged by said head 71, I provide a horizontal fiat-face constantly rotating circular disk 75, arranged within the stationary annular flange or wall 10, and above the fixed top plate 9. The top surface of this feed disk 7 5, is approximately in the same horizontal plane as thetop surfaces of the stopper guideswhen in their normal positions. and the edge of the disk is separated from the outer portion of the movable stopper-guide head 12, by. the upwardly projected wa'llor flange 10.

The feed disk 7 5 is fixed to the upper end of and is rapidly rotated by the vertical drive shaft 7 6, mounted and arranged longitudinally in the fixed hollow column s 8.

-.'-The vertical shaft 76, is driven by the main shaft 2, through the medium of bevel gearing 77. The stoppers are placed or other wise delivered on the top face/of the rotary feed disk 75, with their cork faces down and with their retainers at the tops thereof. A suitable curved guideway is provided over the surface of the disk and about tangentially through the annular fixed wall 10, and terminating with adischarge opening above and alined with the stopper positioning head 71, and a stopper guide at the stopper receiving position. This guideway can be formed by theinner surface of the fixed wall 10, and by a curved plate 78, arranged concentrically with said Wall 10, and over the surface of the feed disk 7 5', and spaced adistance from the inner surface of wall 10, to form a guide way slightly wider than the greatest diameter of the stoppers to permit free passage therethrough of a single row of stoppers, that is the stoppers can ass along said guideway one behind the other. The floor of the guideway is formed by a portion of the top surface of the rotary feed disk near the edge thereof. The inner plate 78, can be carried by elevated cross plates or brackets 7 9, from the fixed wall 10, and carrying a plate 80. forming a top guard for the guideway to prevent the stoppers piling therein by moving one on the other. The guideway is open at its rear end 81, see Fig. 8, and extends forwardly from said open end in the direction of rotation of the plate so that centrifugal action will tend to move stoppers, on the top face of the plate, toward the periphery thereof and into the open or entrance end 81, of the guideway, and the stoppers will enter the guideway one at a time, forming a row therein, still resting on and driven forward by the disk.

At a point opposite or adjacent to the stopper-guide stopper-receiving position, an opening or passage is formed through the fixed wall and the discharge end of the guideway is continued through said opening, see Figs. 1 and 8, about tangentially of the Wall 10. The guideway is continued outwardly from said wall 10, and over the stopper guide head 12. in a block 82, rigidly secured to the wall 10. and projecting outwardly and horizontally therefrom over the head 12. The stopper guide or slideway in said block terminates in a vertical opening 83. completely through and registering successively with the bores of the stopper guides as they stop at the stopper-receiving position. This opening 83, is also in the path of movement of the plunger head 71, and is of a size to permit the plunger and a stopper to pass therethrough into the stopper guide below.

The rapidly moving feed disk 75, constantly tends to drive the stoppers forward through the guide or slideway and the pressure of the row of abutting stoppers on the feed disk constantly tends to push the stoppers between the disk and the discharge opening 83, forward to said opening. Unless some stop or gate mechanism be em ployed, as fast as one stopper entered said opening, the stopper behind would also crowd to or drop through the opening without reference to whether bottles had been supplied beneath all of the stopper guides, and with a possible tendency to interfere with the proper individual. or se 'iara e feeding of the stoppers through said discharge of feed opening to thestmpper guides. I hence generally prefer to employ, although I do not wish to so limit all features of my 

